South Feathers
by Olivewhisker
Summary: Featherstar wasn't always a bad cat. He used to be soft-spoken and protective! One night, a spirit visits him and his life is about to change! Will he be able to resist and brave his new, yet terrible visions?
1. Chapter 1

Allegiances:

FloodClan:

Leader: Smokestar- Large, smoky gray tom with yellow eyes

Deputy: Ripplepelt- Silver tabby tom with blue eyes

Medicine Cat: Wolfshade- Black she-cat with yellow eyes

Warriors:

Skywillow- Long-haired, pale silver tom with creamy pale yellow eyes (Father of Featherpaw and Stormpaw)

Reedclaw- Small dark brown tom with short claws and yellow eyes

(Apprentice: Stormpaw)

Blueblossom- Lithe, blue- gray she-cat with pale blue eyes

Finchfeather- Pale brown tabby tom with green eyes

Willowtuft- Long-haired, pale gray she-cat with pale yellow eyes (Mother of Featherpaw and Stormpaw)

Owlsight- Smokey black tom with yellow eyes

(Apprentice: Featherpaw)

Queens:

Tidalflower- Black she-cat with white patches and blue eyes (Mated to Owlsight; Mother to Twigkit and Mintkit)

Mossheart- Small dark gray tabby she-cat with minty green eyes (Mated to Finchstripe; Mother of Maplekit and Timberkit)

Apprentices:

Featherpaw- Young handsome long-haired gray tom with a plumy tail and amber eyes

Stormpaw- Young white she-cat with black ears, paws, and tail-tip; bright green eyes

Kits:

Twigkit- Pale brown tabby tom with green eyes and a tan muzzle, belly, and paws

Mintkit- Gray tom with a pale gray nose and green eyes

Maplekit- Orange she-cat with a brown tail and green eyes

Timberkit- Dark gray tom with black paws and green eyes

Cats Outside the Clans:

Jag- Black she-cat with white stripes and yellow eyes

Moon- Silver she-cat with darker flecks and green eyes

Misty- Pale gray spikey she-cat with blue eyes (Mother to Fog)

Fog- Blue gray mottled tom with blue eyes

Leaf- Brown tabby she-cat with a white muzzle, chest, and ears; has a short fluffy tail and green eyes

Scar- Dark gray skinny, scared tom with amber eyes


	2. Chapter 2

Featherpaw yawned in the clearing as Ripplepelt organized the morning patrols. He was never an early cat. He'd rather be curled up in his nest, especially since it was late leaf-bare!

He grunted as Stormpaw came to sit next to him, her shoulders resting on his side. "Can you bother someone else?" he asked quietly. Stormpaw smirked at him and shook her head.

"Naw," she mewed, her eyes bright. "Besides, you look cold and lonely!" Featherpaw shrugged at that.

"I don't know," he sighed. "I only want to curl up in my nest!" His plumy tail flicked impatiently. He turned his tired gazed up to Smokestar, who was quietly grooming himself. Now there's a cat who could use some work, he thought bitterly.

Ripplepelt sat up taller. "I want Skywillow, Reedclaw, and Stormpaw on border patrol," he ordered. "And Finchfeather, Willowtuft, and I will go on a hunting patrol." Featherpaw quietly sighed in relief. I can go back to sleep, he thought.

Everyone was beginning to do their thing. Featherpaw slunk back to his nest, yawning. He flopped into his nest and sighed. He softly smiled, as he went to sleep.

He only thought he had a few heartbeats of sleep, when Mintkit and Twigkit came tumbling in.

"Hey look!" Mintkit squeaked. "It's Featherpaw!" Twigkit nodded. "Maybe he can teach us some battle moves!"

Featherpaw pretended he was still sleeping. I don't want to deal with this, he thought. Mintkit pranced over to Featherpaw. "This will wake him!" Mintkit sunk his tiny fangs into Featherpaw's ear and tugged.

"Yow!" Featherpaw squeaked. He turned and glared menacingly at Mintkit.

` Mintkit's eyes widened and he shook. "Eeep!" he squealed. Mintkit turned and darted away, back to the Nursery. Twigkit's ears sunk down to his skull.

"Bye!" he mewed as he darted after his brother, tail spiked and fluffed. Featherpaw purred in amusement. I'm very scary, he thought.

This annoyance had unfortunately fully awakened him. He stretched and stood up. He shook himself off and left his den.

Snow crunched as he padded over to the Fresh-Kill pile. Nothing but a frozen mouse and a soaked sparrow sat on the pile. Dang, Featherpaw thought. He smartly went for the sodden sparrow and dragged it over to a spot just outside his den.

He crunched the sparrow and something struck his jaws. He spat the object out and realized it was a twig. Wolfshade turned to look at him and gasped.

"The Twig will rise, but only under the right conditions," Wolfshade murmured. "Twigkit is destined to be the next leader!" Her fur spiked up and she dashed over to the floodstone to tell Smokestar.

Featherpaw gulped. Does this mean I have to be a medicine cat? He wondered. His fur spiked up at the thought. No, he assured himself. I'm not a puny cripple! I'm a warrior!

Featherpaw narrowed his eyes, as Wolfshade padded into the Nursery, eyes grim. Tidalflower's going to be mad, he thought.

Featherpaw realized he was right, as he heard Tidalflower burst out snarling. He yawned once again. Smokestar was too quick to react, again, he decided. Wolfshade wouldn't make a kit leader. She was strict and understanding, right?


	3. Chapter 3

"Featherpelt! Featherpelt!" Featherpelt winced as Smoketail began to call his new name. He narrowed his eyes. I'm nothing special, he thought.

Twigkit had died a moon ago, under a rockfall at the young age of five moons. A moon before that, Smokestar had returned his nine lives to StarClan.

Featherpelt wanted to slash Smoketail's ears off! Yet, he knew better and let out a low, almost inaudible, growl instead.

His sister Stormfall, having got her warrior name just before him, rested her head on him. Get off, Featherpelt thought, pushing her off.

Owlsight ran up to Featherpelt, his paws splashing the New-Leaf puddles. "Congrats!" he mewed sincerely.

Featherpelt shrugged. "It was nothing." Featherpelt turned and padded away, only to be stopped by Willowtuft and Skywillow.

Willowtuft ran up to Featherpelt, butting him with fur muzzle. "You made it!" she exclaimed. Skywillow nodded. "I'm proud of you," he murmured. Featherpelt nodded. "Sure," he simply mewed.

Featherpelt let his parents bug Stormfall, while he padded towards the Nursery to get some shut-eye before his vigil. He ducked into the warriors den and gazed around. Where do I sleep, he wondered.

Finchfeather padded in behind Featherpelt. "You can have Tidalflower's," he mewed, answering his question.

Featherpelt flinched. He remembered how Tidalflower vowed to become an elder after Twigkit's death. "Fine," he grunted, too tired to care.

He curled up into Tidalflower's nest, tucking his feathery tail over his nose. He yawned, tiredly. Then, he settled into sleep.

Mist tickled Featherpelt's nose as he woke up. He blinked a little bit. Did I wake up, he wondered. Featherpelt was gazing into a misty, red-tinged, dark forest.

A small silvery she-cat stalked over to Featherpelt. He edged backwards. "Who are you?" he asked.

The small silvery she-cat's blue eyes twinkled with amusement. "I am Iceflower," she answered, her voice silky and sweet. "You have the right to ask," she mewed. "And I believe you want something as well."

Featherpelt snarled. "What could possibly want?! His pelt spiked up. "I'm completely fine!"

Iceflower grinned. "You want to protect cats like Twigkit," she slyly mewed. "You want to lead FloodClan into a better future."

Featherpelt flattened his ears. "True," he grunted. "I never wanted Twigkit to die under a rockfall."

Iceflower nodded. "I can do that," she replied. "But for a price!"

Featherpelt's eyes narrowed. "For what price?" he asked. "I can't trust that you'll help me."

Iceflower snickered. "It's a helpful price," she soothed. "But it can also be hindering!"

Featherpelt frowned. "And this will help how?" He was getting impatient with this spirit's vagueness.

Iceflower grinned. "Trust me," she replied. "It would have saved Twigkit!"

Featherpelt froze. "I-it would?" he stammered.

Iceflower slid up against him and whispered into his ear. "Yes," she claimed. "But only if you agree."

Featherpelt sighed. "Fine," he grunted. "As long as it can help me."

Iceflower hopped up in delight. "Okay!" she cheered. She darted up to Featherpelt and didn't stop. Rather,she jumped right into Featherpelt!

"Gah!" Featherpelt gasped. His mind fogged for a moment, then he awakened in his nest.

He gazed around for a moment. 'My name is Icepaw, by the way,' Iceflower echoed in his mind. 'I am now part of you!'

Featherpelt frowned. I don't want to be two cats, he thought. 'Too late!' Icepaw crowed before she swept Featherpelt into a vision.

Smoketail was hanging from a ledge. His claws scraped the rocks. "StarClan isn't ready for me yet!" he wailed. 'There's your chance,' Icepaw murmured. An older Maplekit, maybe Maplepaw, was snarling at Featherpelt. "What are you waiting for?" she hissed. "Knock for over!" Featherpelt dropped into a crounch and pounced.

Before he could pounce, everything whited out. 'Your first vision!' Icepaw cheered.

Featherpelt sighed. Now he did it! He was going to have an evil apprentice in his head for the rest of time!


End file.
